Getting to Otaru from Sapporo, Hakodate and New Chitose

From Sapporo to Otaru

It is about 40 km from Sapporo to Otaru.
There are three ways to get there: train, bus and rental car.

From Sapporo to Otaru by JR

• JR Hakodate Main Line, Rapid Airport: 34 minutes (800 yen)
• Section Rapid “Niseko Liner”: 44 minutes (800 yen)

The Rapid Airport is the fastest. IC cards such as Kitaca can also be used. Because the train gets crowded with international visitors, there are also reserved seats (U-Seat) if you want to be sure of a seat. The reserved seat fee is 1,000 yen. If you want to sit on the sea side, ask for seat A or B.

The Otaru Free Pass, which used to be on sale, is not available as of October 2026 (see JR Hokkaido Discount Ticket List).

From Sapporo to Otaru by bus

• Otaru Express (jointly operated by Hokkaido Chuo Bus and JR Hokkaido Bus): about 1 hour (730 yen)

Buses between Sapporo and Otaru are operated by two companies, JR Hokkaido Bus and Hokkaido Chuo Bus.
The bus is cheaper, but it takes longer.

There is also a set that combines a round-trip bus ticket between Sapporo and Otaru with the Otaru City Line one-day pass, which is handy for sightseeing in Otaru, for 2,000 yen per adult.
The round-trip highway bus fare between Sapporo and Otaru is 1,360 yen, and the Otaru City Line one-day pass is 800 yen, so the set ticket saves you 160 yen compared with buying them separately.

From Sapporo to Otaru by car

By car, it takes about 50 minutes between JR Otaru Station and Sapporo Station via the Sasson Expressway, or about 1 hour 10 minutes on local roads.

• Via the Sasson Expressway (weekdays): 1,220 yen
• Via the Sasson Expressway (holidays and late night): 860 yen

Expressway tolls vary between weekdays and holidays/late night, and depending on whether you use ETC.
If you drive, you also need to factor in fuel and parking costs.
In heavy snow, travel time can also increase significantly.

Driving between Sapporo and Otaru may seem slower and more expensive, but no train or bus can match the freedom it gives you: you can cover more ground and are not tied to bus schedules. In winter, a car is a comfortable option if you would rather not travel in the cold and snow.

From Hakodate to Otaru

It is about 250 km from Hakodate to Otaru.
Many people find it farther than they expected.

From Hakodate to Otaru by JR

• JR Limited Express Super Hokuto (via Oshamambe): 4 hours 48 minutes, 7,640 yen
• JR Limited Express Super Hokuto (via Sapporo): 4 hours 45 minutes, 9,770 yen

There are two routes from Hakodate to Otaru by JR.
The first is to take the Limited Express Super Hokuto to Sapporo.
The second is to take the Limited Express Super Hokuto to Oshamambe.

The travel times are almost the same, but the Oshamambe route is cheaper because the distance traveled by limited express is shorter.

From Hakodate to Otaru by bus

• By highway bus: 6 hours 56 minutes, 5,720 yen

Hokkaido Chuo Bus’s highway buses (2026 summer timetable) have no direct service from Hakodate to Otaru.
Because you have to change buses in Sapporo, it takes far longer than other modes of transport.

From Hakodate to Otaru by car

• Route by car to Kuromatsunai IC: 234 km (4 hours 30 minutes), 2,970 yen (2,080 yen with ETC)
• Hokkaido Jukan Expressway/Do-o Expressway route: 346 km (4 hours 30 minutes), 7,360 yen (5,140 yen with ETC)

On the Kuromatsunai IC route, you leave the expressway at Kuromatsunai IC and take local roads through the Niseko area to Otaru.
It is cheaper and shorter in distance, but because it uses local roads, the travel time is about the same as the longer route by expressway.
This route has snowy roads in winter, so if you are not used to driving on snow, it may take longer than expected.

The Hokkaido Jukan Expressway/Do-o Expressway route lets you travel by expressway all the way from Hakodate to Otaru, passing along the Pacific side through Muroran, New Chitose and Sapporo. There are several service areas, but it is best not to expect much from them.

From Hakodate Airport to Otaru by plane (via Sapporo)

There are 7 direct flights a day from Hakodate Airport to Okadama Airport in Sapporo. The flight takes 40 minutes.
It takes about 30 minutes from Okadama Airport to Sapporo Station, and 34 minutes on the Rapid Airport from Sapporo Station to JR Otaru Station.

It costs more, but this is the fastest way to get from Hakodate to Otaru.

From New Chitose Airport to Otaru

It is about 80 km from New Chitose Airport to Otaru.
There are three ways to get there: train, bus and rental car.

From New Chitose Airport to Otaru by JR

• JR Hakodate Main Line, Rapid Airport: 1 hour 15 minutes (2,040 yen)

From New Chitose Airport, the Rapid Airport is the fastest way to Otaru. IC cards such as Kitaca can also be used. Because the train passes through Sapporo, it can get crowded depending on the time. A reserved seat (U-Seat) costs 1,000 yen. Seats A and B are on the sea side.

From New Chitose Airport to Otaru by bus

Since April 2025, a direct bus has run between New Chitose Airport and Otaru (about 90 minutes, 2,300 yen for adults).

From New Chitose Airport to Otaru by car

• Via the Do-o Expressway and Sasson Expressway: 2,250 yen
• Via the Do-o Expressway and Sasson Expressway (ETC): 1,570 yen

Using the Do-o Expressway and Sasson Expressway, you reach Otaru IC in about 1 hour from New Chitose Airport.

If you take local roads, the route goes from New Chitose Airport along Route 36 and Route 5 through Sapporo to Otaru.
Because the route goes through Sapporo, it can be congested depending on the time of day and takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.

We recommend using a car navigation system or Google Maps to find a route that takes traffic into account.

From Yoichi to Otaru

It is about 20 km from Yoichi to Otaru.
There are four ways to get there: train, bus, rental car and taxi.

From Yoichi to Otaru by JR

• JR Hakodate Main Line: 25 minutes, 440 yen

The fare is the same as the bus, but the train is faster.

From Yoichi to Otaru by bus

• Hokkaido Chuo Bus, bound for Bikuni (Route 20): 440 yen
• Niseko Bus, Otaru Line: 440 yen

The timetable lists about 30 minutes for the bus, but it can actually take about 40 minutes.
In winter it can take more than 40 minutes, so travel time varies by season.

From Yoichi to Otaru by car

By car, it takes about 30 minutes from Yoichi to Otaru on Route 5.
By taxi, the fare is about 6,000 yen (depending on traffic conditions).
It can get congested during commuting hours and in winter.

A car is more convenient for the Blue Cave cruise in Shioya, fruit picking along the Fruit Road, and winery tours in Yoichi.